Uber and Volvo strike deal for 24,000 self-drive cars

Uber has struck a deal to buy up to 24,000 self-driving cars from Volvo. Uber began testing prototypes made by the carmaker last year in the US. One expert said the announcement "Makes a good headline" but had doubts that fully autonomous, driverless Uber rides would be ready to begin until some years later. Uber and Volvo have not disclosed financial terms, but have confirmed that the deal is "Non-exclusive" - meaning both are free to form similar partnerships with others. Assuming Uber buys all 24,000 XC90 sports utility vehicles outlined in the agreement, the deal could be worth $1.4bn, according to an estimate by the Financial Times. Under their pre-existing agreement, Uber already uses various customised Volvo vehicles - which include some of the carmaker's own self-drive hardware - and then adds on its own proprietary artificial intelligence technologies.